This bronze pendant, found in 2016 near the city of Staraja Ladoga in Russia, possibly a horse harness pendant, depicts on top a Rus viking (slavic like) type threedimensional head. It measures 60 mm length, 21 mm width and weighs 14,57 grams.

The type of head reminds of the threedimensional heads on wooden – idol ? –  figures also found near Staraja Ladoga and – more vaguely – the threedimensional head on a dagger known for ritual killings from a grave at Gnëzdovo. (see for both images – Duczko, W., Studies on the Presence of Scandinavians in Eastern Europe). Also see wooden objects found at the town of Wolin in Poland.

The bottom threedimensional image seemingly gruesome is far from clear as some minor damage to that part or a bit of iron corrosion blurrs our vision of what this may depict. The – six – dots in triangle motifs are reminding on the triangle in pellet motifs like on bracelets and Thor hammers of the Viking Age. The detail of execution though is more refined and detailed. The item could have been a ‘one-off’ as I – at the moment – aren’t aware of similar(like) objects from the Viking Age.

Further research continues..